1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a durable, slow-action footbag for use in a game the objective of which is to keep the footbag airborne for as long as possible using one's knees and feet.
2. Background of the Prior Art
People have always been enchanted with the concept of intercepting an object in flight and batting such object back into the air so as to keep such object from reaching the ground. This enchantment has resulted n a number of games, such as volleyball, that test a person's skill in keeping a particular object from reaching the ground. Such games have required, and, as a result, developed, superior eye-to-hand coordination.
Numerous games, exercises and devices also have appeared for developing one's eye-to-foot coordination. In such games and exercises the object is intercepted by the foot and/or knee and kicked repeatedly into the air. Such games and exercises have been found to be extremely helpful in developing not only eye-to-foot coordination, but also the balance and quickness necessary for performing a variety of sports such as baseball, football, basketball, soccer, karate and tennis. These games and exercises have been found to be especially pleasurable and beneficial when the person performs a wide variety of kicks and is able to kick the object with all parts of the feet and knees.
Because the foot and knee generally are not as easily manipulated as the hand, objects suitable for exercises and games wherein the purpose is to keep the object in the air for as long a period of time as possible using only the feet and knees must be slow-acting; i.e., reaction of the object to the force of a kick must be relatively small as compared to the reaction of fast-acting objects such as tennis balls and volley balls. Furthermore, the reaction of the object must be consistent no matter how irregular the surface of the foot or knee contacting the object. In this way, the object may be kicked with the instep, the heel or the toe of the foot and still get a consistent and reliable response. If this were not true, the user would be compelled to kick the object only with the flatest parts of the foot, thus limiting the variety of kicks and negating much of the purpose and pleasure to be derived from the exercises and games. This latter desirable feature is accomplished in part if the portion of the object contacting the foot or knee quickly conforms to the shape of the part of the foot or knee contacted.
Several devices are taught by the prior art which, although slow-acting, do not permit a wide variety of kicks.